Handheld electronic devices with integrated cameras are ubiquitous in the consumer market. Driven by user-comfort and aesthetic considerations, very thin handheld devices are increasingly desirable. Engineering extreme thinness in a camera may be challenging, however, as the focal length of the objective lens system of the camera imposes a lower limit on the thickness. Moreover, the overall rigidity of a handheld device is apt to decrease as the device is made thinner. Loss of rigidity is problematic for optical systems such as cameras, which require precise alignment of internal componentry.